Billboard firm aims to get even bigger

A COMPANY responsible for some of the the biggest billboards ever seen in this country has invested £1.5m in new technology in a bid to double turnover in the next three years. Cheadle company Cestrian Imaging , a pioneer in advanced edigital printing technology, has bought and installed six new printers in a bid to take advantage of the fast growing market in outdoor advertising and retail display.

A COMPANY responsible for some of the the biggest billboards ever seen in this country has invested £1.5m in new technology in a bid to double turnover in the next three years.

Cheadle company Cestrian Imaging , a pioneer in advanced edigital printing technology, has bought and installed six new printers - two giant HP turbojet and four Expedio Environmental machines, in a bid to take advantage of the fast growing market in outdoor advertising and retail display.

The company - best known for a huge 3,500sq metre building wrap at Fort Dunlop in Birmingham for Manchester property developer Urban Splash - was founded 15 years ago by 44-year-old Paul Whitehurst.

It is now a £7m-a-year turnover business, and Paul and business partner Phill Reynolds believe they can double their turnover in a market which is booming.

Paul, from Poynton, explains: "Digital print technology is advancing at a rapid pace. We can now achieve turnaround speeds previously unheard of, and variable-data technology enables us to change image and text on every print produced.

"It used to take four hours to print one 48-sheet paper poster. We can now produce 40 equivalent billboards or 100 bus shelter posters within an hour.

"It means advertising agencies or retail clients can launch and execute campaigns literally within 24 hours of having an idea.

"They also have the flexibility to change each print, specific to the demographics and geography of a particular region or product."

Paul, who was a salesman before launching the business, and technical expert Phill began working together at Cestrian 15 years ago, and at that time Paul owned the company. Phill became a joint owner two years ago.

The company employs 55 people at its 58,000 sq ft facility on the Stanley Green Industrial Estate near Handforth and is looking for more staff.

Paul and Phill expect to recruit up to 40 people within the next three years. They have also not ruled out acquisitions to achieve further growth. They have funded the new printers from existing reserves and via a loan from HSBC , which Paul says has been very supportive throughout Cestrian's history.

The new investment will enable Cestrian to offer an alternative to damaging solvent-based inks without compromising on print quality.

Phill, 36, explains: "Our clients within the creative industries are becoming more aware of the environmental issues faced on a day-to-day basis. They want to move away from solvent-based inks, without compromising quality and depth of colour.

"The new technology we have invested in uses UV-based inks to provide as good a colour quality without the impact to the environment."